confidential

[kon-fi-den-shuhl]

adjective

1. spoken, written, acted on, etc., in strict privacy or secrecy; secret.

   a confidential remark.

   Synonyms: private, restricted

2. indicating confidence or intimacy; imparting private matters.

   a confidential tone of voice.

   Synonyms: familiar, intimate

3. having another's trust or confidence; entrusted with secrets or private affairs.

   a confidential secretary.

   Synonyms: private, trustworthy

4. (of information, a document, etc.)

   1. bearing the classification confidential, usually being above restricted and below secret.

   2. limited to persons authorized to use information, documents, etc., so classified.

confidential

/ ˌkɒnfɪˈdɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. spoken, written, or given in confidence; secret; private

2. entrusted with another's confidence or secret affairs

   a confidential secretary

3. suggestive of or denoting intimacy

   a confidential approach

Other Word Forms

• confidentiality noun
• confidentialness noun
• confidentially adverb
• nonconfidential adjective
• nonconfidentially adverb
• nonconfidentialness noun
• nonconfidentiality noun
• quasi-confidential adjective
• quasi-confidentially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of confidential¹

First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin confīdenti(a) confidence + -al ¹

Synonym Study

See familiar.

Example Sentences

A statement by the organisation emphasised that the information it collects was not confidential and was meant for the safety of humanitarian workers.

Read more on BBC

Pfizer and the White House both describe the deal terms as “confidential.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Personnel matters are confidential, so we cannot comment on individual employee situations.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Apparently, they believed I could no longer be trusted with confidential information," Arrington told the outlet, saying the confidential information was related to the sword dispute and an unrelated matter.

Read more on BBC

The court in Dresden in eastern Germany had heard how Krah's former aide had gathered information and passed on confidential documents to Chinese authorities.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• classified 
• hush-hush 
• intimate 
• private